Previously, the FCC required that all Internet service providers treat the delivery of traffic over their network the same, regardless of where that traffic was coming from. However, a recent federal appeals court decision has given ISPs the go-ahead to forge peering agreements with companies that deliver a lot of data (like Netflix) for a fee, thus ensuring improved reliability and quality for those partnering companies. Unfortunately, anyone not paying for such an agreement will get lower-priority data delivery.

“Your proposed path would open the door to widespread discrimination online. It would give Internet service providers the green light to implement pay‐for‐priority schemes that would be disastrous for startups, nonprofits, and everyday Internet users who cannot afford these unnecessary tolls,” the letter states. “We urge you to scrap these proposed rules and instead restore the principle of online nondiscrimination by reclassifying broadband as a telecommunications service.”

At this time, it’s unclear if Wheeler will heed advice from dissenters and, as the letter suggests, reclassify ISPs as telecom services, which would give the FCC the authority to enforce net neutrality rules and force ISPs to treat all traffic delivery equally. But based on previous comments from Wheeler, he’s unlikely to make such a move. We’ll know more as soon as the FCC releases its new set of open Internet rules, which promise “enforceable” regulations to keep ISPs from harming competition through paid peering agreements.

Here’s a complete list of all the actors, artists, and musicians who signed the letter: